Apparatus for making and filling a series of bags

ABSTRACT

1,036,636. Packaging-machines. STAMICARBON N.V. July 18, 1963 [July 19, 1962], No. 28523/63. Heading B8C. Apparatus for filling and sealing bags joined side by side as a continuous strip with their unsealed mouths uppermost comprises means engaging the strip before and after the filling position to drive it forward intermittently, the means after filling stopping and starting before the means preceding filling to assist in opening the bag mouths and then stretching them to the closed position. The apparatus is particularly applicable to handling plastics film. As shown, a tubular web from a roll 2 is slit along its upper fold by a knife 3, the edges being kept apart by a rail 8. Jaws 4 form transverse seals below the rail. Belt 9, 9&lt;SP&gt;1&lt;/SP&gt;, 13 ,  13&lt;SP&gt;1&lt;/SP&gt; support the web on either side of a filler 12, the bells 13, 13&lt;SP&gt;1&lt;/SP&gt;, at least, being intermittently driven and stopping and starting in advance of the belts 9, 9&lt;SP&gt;1&lt;/SP&gt;. An air jet 17 and suction members 18 assist in bag opening. The filled bags are supported on a conveyer 16 and sealed and severed by means 20, 22 respectively. In lieu of severing, perforating and tearing may be employed. Photo-electric means may monitor marks on the web and/or the bag contents to control the web and contents feed. An initially single thickness web may be doubled or, to produce two rows of bags simultaneously, folded to W form, for subsequent transverse sealing.

Dec. 26, 1967 D. QUAADGRAS 3,359,703

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND FILLING A SERIES OF BAGS Filed July 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 12 29 2 3 7 9 9 (wg 2o 21 2&3 (41' I '11 Ti5 :23 11141111 i mumymm i 2 H 326 a g I 24 g 5 5 g 5 l I E S 5 HI!) U f '5 E 24H5 FIG. 1

FIG. 2

//VV/V70fi Dec. 26, 1967 D. QUAADGRAS 3,359,703

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND FILLING A SERIES OF BAGS Filed July 18, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 7 BY A United States Patent 3,359,703 APPARATUS FDR MAKING AND FILLING A SERIES OF BAGS Dirk Quaadgras, Doom, Netherlands, assignor to Stamicarbon N.V., Heerlen, Netherlands Filed July 18, 1963, Ser. No. 295,917 Claims priority, application Netherlands, July 19, 1962, 281,183 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-59) The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for making and filling a series of bags, in which a strip of material folded lengthwise and divided into a number of compartments by transverse seams, is conveyed past a filling device with its open side upwards, and after filling closed on this side (see Netherlands patent specification No. 53,211).

It has been proposed to provide a W-shaped fold in the strip, so that two rows of bags are made side by side. With this type of fold, the bags naturally tend to open at the top and a simple means, such as winged rotatable member or the like, may be provided to open the bags wider. However, in filling bags made of plastic, the tendency, rather than to self-open, is for the walls of the bags to remain lying fiat on each other, so that the material to be filled into the bags cannot be introduced.

The present invention provides a process and apparatus in which the bags under the filling device are opened sufficiently wide to be filled completely.

The present invention is based upon the principle that, when the strip is moving under the filling device, that part of it which has just passed the device is stopped when a bag that has to be filled is directly under the filling device, while the part just arriving in front of the device is moved on until the walls of the bag fold, so that they can be moved apart, after which the bag is filled and subsequently first that part of the bag which has passed the filling device is set moving again, so that the open side of the bag is closed by the pull exerted on the walls, and then the part behind the filling device is set moving, whereafter the motion is continued until the next bag has arrived under the filling device, and so forth.

Owing to the bag folding under the filling device, its walls can easily be separated, for instance, by means of a wedge or a similar member inserted between the walls at the top, which member may be connected to an air feed line for blowing open the bag, which at its upper end has already been partly opened by the wedge. If desired, the bag may be opened by means of suction pads placed on the outside of the walls and then moved apart.

The device for filling the bags is preferably equipped with two sets of rollers or belts, provided on both sides of the device, which retain the strip at the top, while means are provided for intermittently driving the rollers so that the rollers behind the filling device are stopped and set moving again slightly earlier than the rollers provided in front of the filling device.

These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description and appended claims.

The invention may best be understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein an illustrative embodiment is shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of an apparatus embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the apparatus.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a plastic film 1 in tubular shape which is ice v between the walls of the film at this upper edge.

The film then passes between two belts 9 and 9' which grip the film near its upper edge. The belts are trained about rollers 10-11 and 1011', respectively, which, each time a compartment has been filled move on the film so far that the following compartment arrives under the filling device 12.

Beyond the filling device is a second set of belts 13, 13 trained about rollers 14, 14' and 15, 15', which serve to move the filled compartments. After being filled, the compartments are supported at the bottom by a conveyor belt 16.

When the film has been moved up so far that a compartment is directly under the filling device, the drive of the belts 13 and 13 stops. The belts 9 and 9 keep moving slightly longer, however, after which also these belts stop. Behind the wedge 8, which extends to a point under the filling device, there is a tube 17, which is connected to an air supply source (not shown). Each time the belts 13 and 13' have been stopped, air is blown into the compartment through this tube. Simultaneously, a subatmospheric pressure is applied to a pair of suction pads 18 on both sides of the film under the filling device, so that the walls of the compartment are sucked against these pads. Meanwhile the suction pads are moved outwards, so that the compartment is rapidly opened. A closure or grooved rotary metering device 19, provided under the filling device 12, is now opened or put into operation, respectively, so that the material to be filled into the bags flows into the compartment. During the filling of the compartment, the air supply through the conduit 17 and the vacuum in the suction pads 18 may be interrupted, since then the compartment is opened wider owing to the weight of the material.

After filling, the belts 13 and 13' are again set in motion. As the belts 9 and 9 still retain the film, the top edge of the film is stretched, so that here the walls of the compartment come to lie against each other. Thereafter the belts 9 and 9' are also set moving. The fil-m subsequently passes a welding device 20, which closes the top edge of the bags. The closure weld 21 connects to the side welds 5, so that the compartment is closed all round. Finally, the filled compartments are cut off by a knife 22, so that filled and closed bags 23 are obtained.

The invention may be employed for filling bags with powdery or granular materials, such as plastic granulates, fertilizers, cement, animal feeds, etc. In this case the bags may measure, for instance, 50 x cm., and may be made of polyethylene film having a thickness of 0.2 mm.

To ensure sufficient strength of the side weld after the compartments have been cut loose, the weld 5 should be wide, or two welds should be made side by side. If desired, the weld 5 may be perforated or incised, so that the filled compartments can be torn 011?, instead of cut loose after they have been closed by welding.

It is also possible to start from a single film, which is folded double after it has left the reel 2, and subsequently passes the welding device 4, or from a doubled film wound on the reel, which film may or may not have been provided already with transverse welds.

The bags may be made of homopolymeric or of copolymeric polyalkenes, polyvinyl chloride, etc., or of mixtures of these substances, whether or not reinforced with fibrous materials, for instance rayon, glass fibres, nylon, etc.

The plastic material from which the bags are to be made is preferably provided with an imprint. In this case a mark 24 is provided in a suitable position on each compartment which interrupts a ray of light or an infra-red ray from an emitter 27 when a compartment has arrived under the filling device, so that a cooperating receiver 28 gives an impulse for stopping the belts 13 and 13.

Under the filling device 12 there may be a photoelectric or infra-red cell emitter 25 and receiver 26 giving an impulse when a compartment has been filled, so that the feed is stopped and the drive of belts 13 and 13' is switched on. By means of a timing relay a drive to the belts 9 and 9' may then be set in motion slightly later.

Preferably, however, only the belts 13 and 13' are provided with a drive such as electric motor 29 and cooperating gears and 30. When these belts are suddenly stopped, for instance by means of an electro-magnetic brake embodied in motor 29, the belts 9 and 9' will, owing to inertia, continue their motion for a moment, until the desired folding of the compartment under the filling device has been effected. If desired, the rollers of these belts may, to this end, be constructed as flywheels, or be provided with a flywheel, while a braking device may be installed for preventing these belts from running on too far. When the belts 13 and 13' are set moving again, the belts 9 and 9 will not begin moving again before the compartment between the belt sets has been stretched.

FIGURE 3 illustrates schematically one arrangement for effecting the operation of the belts 13 and 13 and the metering device 19 in response to the movement of a compartment under the filling device 12, the filling of the compartment by the filling device 12, and the subsequent operation of the belts 13 to move the next compartment under the filling device. As shown, the receiver 28 is of a type arranged to transmit an impulse or electrical signal when the light beam from the emitter 27 is interrupted by the movement of a mark 24 into the path of the beam. As shown, the receiver 28 is electrically connected to turn off the motor 29 driving the belts 13 and 13 and to turn on a motor 31, or other operating mechanism, connected to the metering rotor 19 or other dumping mechanism. It will be understood that the electrical connection to the motor 29 and motor 31 is such that a single impulse will effect the continuous energization or de-energization of the respective motor all in a known manner. In a like manner, the receiver 26 is connected to the motors 29 and 31 so that a single impulse or electrical signal is transmitted when the level of the material in the compartment being filled interrupts the beam transmitted by the cooperating emitter 25. The impulse or sigv nal from the receiver 26 is electrically connected to turn on the motor 29 and to turn off the motor 31. Here again, the electrical connection is such that a single impulse will effect a continuous de-energization or energization until such time as a new signal is received from the receiver 28.

It will also be understood that the remaining operating mechanisms of the entire apparatus can, likewise, be connected to perform their operation in response to the signals generated by the receivers 26 and 28. Thus, the filling devices 4 and 20, the air injection tube, suction pad 18, conveyor 16 and cutting device 22 can all be suitably arranged to be actuated in response to a signal from the receiver 28. The actuation of these operating devices in response to the electrical signals from the receivers 26 and 28 may be in accordance with conventional practices utilizing time delay relays and other wellknown components to effect the desired timed sequence of events.

It thus will be seen that the objects of this invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the foregoing specific embodiments has been shown and described only for the purpose of illustrating the principles of this invention and is subject to extensive change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for making and filling a series of bags of the type formed from a strip of material folded lengthwise and divided into a number of compartments by transverse seams comprising a first set of cooperating conveyor means engageable with the top of the strip on opposite sides thereof, a second set of cooperating conveyor means engageable with the top of the strip on opposite sides thereof in spaced relation to said first set of conveyor means, a filling device disposed between said first and second sets of conveyor means for depositing material into successive compartments moved thereunder by said conveyor means, means for intermittently driving said conveyor means in a cycle of operation to bring each successive compartment under said filling device and open the same for filling by said filling device wherein said second set of conveyor means, which is disposed downstream with respect to the direction of travel of the strip, is stopped and started moving again earlier than said first set of conveyor means whereby the upper edges of the compartment under said filling device are first pushed to be moved apart prior to filling and then pulled to be moved together after filling and means providing support for successive filled compartments.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including wedging means disposed in a position to engage within and separate the trailing upper edges of the compartment disposed beneath said filling device and air supply conduit means disposed downstream from said wedging means for directing a blast of air into the compartment beneath said filling device prior to filling to facilitate opening thereof.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 including suction pad means for engaging the exterior opposite side walls of the compartment beneath said filling device and moving the same away from each other prior to filling to facilitate opening thereof.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 including first emitter and receiver means for emitting a radiation source therebetween in a first path within which marks on said strip in a predetermined position in each compartment pass during the movement of the strip by said conveyor means and means operable in response to the passage of a mark into said first path for efiecting the stopping operation in the cycle of intermittent movement of said conveyor means and for effecting the filling operation of said filling device.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 including second emitter and receiver means for emitting a radiation source therebetween in a second path disposed to be interrupted by the upper level of the material being filled in the compartment beneath said filling device when such compartment is filled, and means operable in response to interruption of said second path for efiecting the starting operation in the cycle of intermittent movement of said conveyor means and for rendering said filling device inoperable.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said intermittent driving means is operatively connected to said second set of conveyor means to start the movement of the same in response to the interruption of said second path and to stop the movement of the same in response to the passage of a mark into said first path, said first set of conveyor means including flywheel means operable to continue the movement of said first set of conveyor means a predetermined time after the movement of said second set of conveyor means is stopped and to delay the start of the movement of said first set of conveyor means a predetermined time after the start of the movement of said second set of conveyor means.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said intermittent driving means is operatively connected to said second set of conveyor means to start and stop the movement of the same, said first set of conveyor means including flywheel means operable to continue the movement of said first set of conveyor means a predetermined time after the movement of said second set of conveyor means is stopped and to delay the start of the movement of said first set of conveyor means a predetermined time after the start of the movement of said second set of conveyor means.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said conveyor means comprises a pair of side-by-side endless belts each trained about a pair of rollers rotatable about spaced parallel axes.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,272,251 2/1942 Robinson 53-28 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 851,856 10/1960 Great Britain.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner. 1 FRANK E. BAILEY, Examiner.

N. A. ABRAMS, S. ABEND, Assistant Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND FILLING A SERIES OF BAGS OF THE TYPE FORMED FROM A STRIP OF MATERIAL FOLDED LENGTHWISE AND DIVIDED INTO A NUMBER OF COMPARTMENTS BY TRANSVERSE SEAMS COMPRISING A FIRST SET OF COOPERATING CONVEYOR MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TOP OF THE STRIP ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF, A SECOND SET OF COOPERATING CONVEYOR MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TOP OF THE STRIP ON OPPOSITE SIDES THEREOF IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST SET OF CONVEYOR MEANS, A FILLING DEVICE DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SETS OF CONVEYOR MEANS FOR DEPOSITING MATERIAL INTO SUCCESSIVE COMPARTMENTS MOVED THEREUNDER BY SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, MEANS FOR INTERMITTENTLY DRIVING SAID CONVEYOR MEANS IN A CYCLE OF OPERATION TO BRING EACH SUCCESSIVE COMPARTMENT UNDER SAID FILLING DEVICE AND OPEN THE SAME FOR FILLING BY SAID FILLING DEVICE WHEREIN SAID SECOND SET OF CONVEYOR MEANS, WHICH IS DISPOSED DOWNSTREAM WITH RESPECT TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL OF THE STRIP, IS STOPPED AND STARTED MOVING AGAIN EARLIER THAN SAID FIRST SET OF CONVEYOR MEANS WHEREBY THE UPPER EDGES OF THE COMPARTMENT UNDER SAID FILLING DEVICE ARE FIRST PUSHED TO BE MOVED APART PRIOR TO FILLING AND THEN PULLED TO BE MOVED TOGETHER AFTER FILLING AND MEANS PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR SUCCESSIVE FILLED COMPARTMENTS. 